City Parks Alliance’s International Urban Parks Conference, Greater & Greener: Re-Imagining Parks for 21st Century Cities, in New York City July 14-17, 2012, will work to change the landscape in cities across the nation and around the world.

The Premier Forum for Park Innovation

City Parks Alliance’s International Urban Parks Conference, Greater & Greener: Re-Imagining Parks for 21st Century Cities, in New York City July 14-17, 2012, will bring together park and recreation leaders; community development professionals; municipal and federal government staff; elected officials; academics; city planners; neighbourhood leaders; and private developers to celebrate, debate, organize, connect and share with others working to change the landscape in cities across the nation and around the world.

As our planet becomes more urban, new and revitalized parks are critical to making our cities greater and greener—places that thrive environmentally, economically and socially.
But, there are significant challenges ahead for our world’s urban parks. In most major cities, the old methods of park funding are no longer sustainable. Just as tax-base-constrained cities are unable to carry the full burden of building and maintaining roads and sewer infrastructure, they also require assistance with park infrastructure.
As the framework for park operations gets more complex, urban park directors and city planners are confronted with challenges that require new approaches to managing nature in densely populated areas, addressing diverse user needs and creating new sources of revenue with a broad base of partners, stakeholders and advocates.

Greater & Greener: Re-Imagining Parks for 21st Century Cities will strengthen the capacity of the growing network of civic and community leaders, government agencies, park and recreation authorities, design and planning professionals, funders and others who are working on behalf of city parks and urban sustainability and will inspire participants to re-imagine parks in a new context of regional ecosystems, community health needs, public-private partnerships, economic growth, sustainable development, neighbourhood equity and changing demographics.

A Great International Conference in a Great City

For nearly two centuries, New York City has led the way in its commitment to providing parks and green space for all residents. From the great historic Central and Prospect Parks, to the revitalized Bronx River Greenway to the catalytic High Line Park, the city’s innovative approaches to park development and partnerships can be adapted by all great cities. In the “city that never sleeps,” Greater & Greener offers exciting educational sessions, mobile workshops and tours, a volunteer-led service project, and the vast resources of the Big Apple, from our conference hub at New York University as well as satellite events in parks around the city.

Presented by City Parks Alliance

City Parks Alliance’s mission is to create vibrant and healthy parks and green spaces that contribute to sustainable cities by organizing, facilitating and nurturing a broad-based movement. CPA is the only independent, nationwide membership organization in the U.S. solely dedicated to urban parks.